Becca & The Babysitting Gig
by GinnyRueLover
Summary: Becca Chadwick is called to babysit Zach Norton's little sisters, and she's thrilled! Only two things... she's never babysat and the girls are devils! How can she solve this problem before it escalates ito something a lot bigger?


Becca's Babysitting Gig

I'm lying on the couch, bored out of my skull. Stewart's off with Emma (ugh), Mom's studying for her landscape test, and Dad's getting together with some of his friends at the local pub. Then the phone rings.

"I'll get it!" I holler.

I read the phone and suddenly feel very thrilled. This isn't just anyone, it's... NORTON, ZACHARY. Theo and I broke up last year and I'm currently interested in any blonde, blue eyed boy. My heart pounds and I clear my throat. "Hello?"

"Hey, Becca," Zach answers, mellow.

"What's going on?" I ask casually.

"Nothin' much. You?"

"Literally, nothing."

He chuckles. "Good. Hey, the Alcott Avengers have a game up in _Maine_ this weekend. So I was wondering if you could-"

"Of course I'll go with you!" I blurt. I'm too happy to be true. Then I hear Zach cough on the other end of the line. "Well... um... actually Becca, I was wondering if you'd babysit my little sisters."

Ugh. I should have kept my mouth shut. I resist the urge to crawl into a hole, curl up, and die. I feel as if I'd been punched in the gut. "Sure, Zach. What time?" I can't keep the disapointment out of my tone.

Thankfully, he doesn't notice. "Nine A.M Saturday morning _sharp_. We'll be back by twelve. Ann-Marie's nine and Tiffany's seven. My mom's willing to pay you fifteen bucks an hour per girl."

Wow. Things are looking up for me. Saturday's the only day of the week Pies & Prejudice doesn't need me. The only problem is that I have no clue how to babysit. But never mind that. "Count me in," I say.

Saturday

I ring the doorbell on Zach's house. It's enormous, made out of bricks and twice the size of my house and nearly as big as Megan's. Zach answers, decked out in his Alcott jersey. "Hey Becca," he mutters, distracted. "Change of plans. Coach wants us to leave right now. Apparently traffic's really bad up there." And within a couple moments, they're gone.

I turn and see the little girls behind me. They look like mini Zachs, but feminine. Ann-Marie is the taller one, at age nine, and... what's her name? Tamara? She's seven, right? I smile and lead them into the kitchen, which is twice the size of mine. I lean against the granite countertop and watch as they settle themsleves in at the table.

"Hey," I say pleasently. "I'm Becca. You're babysitter. And you are..." I wait for them to answer even though I know who they both are.

Finally, Ann-Marie does. "I'm Tiffany," she replies. "And this is Ann-Marie."

I frown. "No..." I say uncertainly. "I thought Zach said that Tiffany's seven and Ann-Marie's nine."

The smaller one rolls her eyes. "Duh,'' she says. "I'm Ann-Marie. And thith ith Tiffany. I'm a midthget." Her missing front teeth make her hard to understand.

I shrug. If they want to play some stupid game, well, then, whatever. I ask," Have you guys had breakfast?"

"Nah," 'Ann-Marie' says. "But I'm hungthry. Cook me thomething!"

"Lucky for you," I say, pulling a tray out of a plastic bag," I brought some Pies and Predjudice leftovers. I have chocolate doughnuts and blueberry scones."

The girls make a beeline for the bag and each grab a doughnut. They chew thoughtfully. "How do you like them?" I ask eagerly.

"Did thou make them?" 'Ann-Marie' asks.

"Yes."

"Then I think... you're an awful cook!" Tiffany exclaims.

I gape at her, speechless. Even Gigi, head of all cooking, said they were amazing. Could I be hearing them right?

"Well then," I snap,"I'll just take them back!"

Their eyes widened. "Nah," 'Tiffany' answers quickly. "Would you really want to take some food out of poor, adorable little girl's hands?" They bat their eyelashes and whimper.

"I guess not," I gripe. "What do you want to do after you finish your food?"

"Go to the park," ' 'Tiffany' says.

"Go to the thopping mall," argues 'Ann-Marie'.

"Okay," I intervine. "I'll pick a number one to ten, and whoever comes the closest wins."

"Uh...theven?" guesses 'Ann-Marie'.

"Four," answers 'Tiffany'.

"The answer," I reveal," Was eight. So we're off to the mall. Get dressed, girls!"

They scurry off to their rooms. A few moments later, they come back with thick wallets and in T shirts and jeans.

"Woah," I say. "Where'd you get all that money in your wallet?"

'Tiffany' stared at me. "We're rich," she said as if it was obvious. "Aren't you rich?"

"Uh..." I stutter.

"Oh, that'th right," sneers 'Ann-Marie'. "Her daddy lotht hith job and now they're poor. Even their friendth had to give them money."

I blink back tears of anger and usher them into our car.

In Justice, their favorite store, 'Tiffany' asks for money for a pair of sunglasses.

"No," I say firmly. "Don't you have your own cash?"

'Tiffany' glares at me. "We should go to Dairy Queen," she announces.

"What?" I exclaim. "It's ten o'clock!"

'Ann-Marie' agrees. "You can't thop uth," she snarls. I jog up to where they are and block their way.

"You are not," I say, panting," going to get ICE CREAM at TEN without my PERMISSION!"

The girls exchange an evil grin and I get a very bad feeling. "You know, Tiff, maybe the blonde brat'th right," 'Ann-Marie' admits.

"Totes," sighs 'Tiffany'. "Ya know where we should go? ULTA. I hear they got a new supply of blush."

I perk up. "ULTA it is!" I announce and lead them to the makeup store.

When we got there, I looked eagerly at the row of cosmetics. I'm about to try a perfume sample when a small hand tugs at my pink halter top. "Becca, can you do makeovers with me and Ann-Marie with the samples?"

I brighten. Maybe they can finally trust me! 'Of course," I answer calmly. "Ann-Marie first." I sit her on a stool and dab some lip gloss on her perfect pillow lips. It's a cute color, sort of cotton candy pink. Then I brush her cheeks with blush and put some silver eyeshadow on her.

"There!" I say proudly when I'm done. 'Ann-Marie' carefully inspects herself in the mirror. ''It lookth good, Becca," she said finally. "Thankth."

I beam and sit 'Tiffany' on the stool. I coat her lips in sheer gloss. Then I put some mascara on her and powder her face with blush. Once again, Tiffany thanked me like how Ann-Marie had. Then she said,'' Hey, Becca, can we do your makeup?"

My first instinct is to say no. They've been such brats! Then I remeber how nice they were when I did their makeup. Maybe they just want to turn over a new leaf. I nod, and 'Ann-Marie' sat me in the stool.

I wasn't really paying attention to anything, until I realized 'Tiffany' was missing. "Where's Tiffany?" I cry and nearly jump out of the chair.

"Relath," soothed 'Ann-Marie'. "Tiff really liked the bluth you put on uth, so the'th buying it." I nod and relax. The eyelliner pen felt good on my cheek... WAIT! ON MY _CHEEK? _I leap out of the stool and glare at my reflection in the mirror. "I look like a clown!" I gasp. Then, 'Ann-Marie' gave a thumbs up to someone standing near the door with three packs of lotion... and it was 'Tiffany'. She took off running and the alarm started bleeping. I gasp again. 'Tiffany' didn't really... _shoplift_?

"Get that girl!" shouts the manager. Everyone in the store started chasing her. So did 'Ann-Marie' and I. But 'Ann-Marie' was chasing her to be with her.

I was chasing her to KILL her.

I charged. We came to an intersection between the food court and the hallway. Then I notice something lying on the ground. It's the blush I used on the girls! "That way!" I shriek, pointing to the left side of the hall. We ran to the side.

"Okay," I called. Eveyone search in EVERY store!" Everyone just stared at me. Then I remebered the makeup incedent. I point to my face. "This is what that girl's sister is capable of!" The pack ransacked each shop. I made 'Ann-Marie' stick close to me. I couldn't afford to lose her, too. Then I realized something and felt sick. Tiffany was headed to Justice.

To_ steal the sunglasses I wouldn't buy her._

I take off, holding 'Ann-Marie''s hand. I find 'Tiffany' crouched under a rack of clothes, the lotion tucked under one arm and the glasses hanging off the front of her shirt. She recoiled when she saw me.

"I guess security's coming now," she says glumly. I crouched next to her and 'Ann-Marie' copied me.

I used her real name. "Ann-Marie Norton, what on earth were you thinking?" I turned to her sister. "And Tiffany! Helping her?"

They hang their heads. "Care to explain?"I snap.

Tiffany, the real Tiffany, the younger one, cast a wary glance at the entrance. "Ith the thecurity coming?"

I shake my head. "Not right now, if you explain, but there will be some SERIOUS trouble afterwards." I crawl out from under the rack and lean out the entrance. "Hey, Manager!" I called. "Not in here! DO NOT SEARCH IN HERE! They are not here!" Then I back into the store.

Then Ann-Marie explained. "Ever since we were little, Zach over shadowed us. He was smart. He was popular. He was handsome, he was desirable, he was _nice_." she sighed. "We're not smart. We are unpopular, we are wierd, and we are not nice. We've tried to change our ways, but this is the only way we get attention. We can't get attention the 'right' way, by being kind or funny or nice. Zach has seen to that. So the only way to get noticed it to be bad. Even our parents love Zach more than us."

Tiffany nodded sadly. "When we get home from thchool, all we hear ith 'Zach, you got an A on your tetht!'' Zach, thome girl wantth to hang out with you!' We don't have friendth. We only have each thother. And our parentth never thry to figure out why we do thethe thingth. That jutht thows how little they care."

I feel like a weight is lifting itself out of my stomach. "So why don't you speak up?" I ask.

"We try," answered Ann-Marie. "But mom and dad are too busy with work, and each other, and Zach. We try, believe me."

I stand. "I'm not psychologyst," I tell them. "So you better talk this over with your parents. But ow, relurn the glasses and lotion."

"But what do we do?" Ann-Marie's crying.

"Say that you thought I had already paid for it," I brainstorm. "That story's believable and I know it's true, but it's not enough to get you excused." With that, I lead them out of Justice, after Ann-Marie had put back the glasses.

I locate the ULTA manager. By now, police are here. I grasp both girl's hands. "Listen, ULTA manager," began Ann-Marie.

"Please, call me Ms. Johnson."

"Ms. Johnson," continued Ann-Marie. "I'm Ann-Marie Norton. My babysitter, Becca Chadwick, said how much she liked the lotion. But I misheard her and thought she said she _bought_ the lotion. So I took it out with me."

"So why didn't you come back when the alarm went off?" prompted Ms. Johnson.

"I was scared," answered Ann-Marie readily. "I thought I was going to get arrested."

"Well, you won't get arrested," replied Ms. Johnson. "But you will have to return the stolen goods and pay a small fine." She points at me. "And what's up with her face?" I burn red.

"Oh," says Tiffany quickly. "That wath me. I'm Tiffany, you thee. Tiffany Norton. I jutht thought it would be thilly to play with the thamples." At least that wasn't a lie.

"Well," Ms. Johnson says. "I'll be needing fifty dollars and the lotion." Ann-Marie handed them over. Then she reached into her wallet and pulled out a fifty dollar bill. Ms. Johnson watched, wide eyed.

"I'm rich," Ann-Marie says smugly.

Then we flounce away.

*************Later**************

It's eleven thirty, and the girls are eating Oreos and playing Wii. I'm lying on my couch, texting Zach.

"Hey," he typed. "On my way back. How were the girls?"

"Totes terrible."

"As usual."

"But I made a br8kthrough," I wrote silently.

"What is it?"

"Tell u later. But ur parents need to be here 2."

"Ok. See u soon."

"Bye." I finish.

A half hour later, the rest of the Nortons entered through the front door. "Why, hello Becca. Where are the girls?" greeted Mrs. Norton.

"In the basement, playing dress-up. Listen, I have importent information about them. You might want to sit." I call Tiffany and Ann-Marie up. Then they tell their story, wth little tidbits from me. When we're done, Zach and his dad are shocked and Mrs. Norton's teary-eyed.

"Oh girls," she said as they hugged. "I'll never neglect you again. And we'll have to find a child psycologist or a therapist for you. As the Norton kids and Mr. Norton left the room, Mrs. Norton hugged me.

"Thank you for solving the mystery of my daughters, Becca," she thanked. "I'm so grateful." Then she paid me. "Have a nice day!" she called as I left.

I sat on the porch swing and let the breeze ruffle my hair. I can't believe what I'd just done.

Someone comes out the door and sits next to me. It's Zach.

"Thanks for everything, Becca," he says in a low voice.

I blush. "No problem. Your sisters are angels one you get to know them."

"About what they said about me being perfect," he says. He looks away. Then he looks back at me and his face is red. "Do you believe it?"

I nod shyly. "Of course."

We're so close I can count his eyelashes. So close he can see every freckle on my nose. So close I can smell his minty breath.

"You know, Becca, I didn't call you for the job," he says. "I wanted you to come over after the game. But I chickened out."

My heart lept. And before I know it, my eyes are closed and his lips are on my mine. And it feels so good, so impossibly good, that I couldn't have wrenched away even if I wanted to. We only break apart when we become aware of the giggling behind me.

We turn and see Tiffany and Ann-Marie laughing hystericly. "Oh, I'm gonna go spread the word! Chadwick and Norton! Ooh!" squeals Ann-Marie before they go inside, and I don't care.

Suddenly Zach grins. "Becca," He says. "Is this a bad time to tell you you look like a clown?"

**Hey guys! I hope you like it! I never really liked Becca&Theo because Theo was just kind of thrown in there, whereas Zach was there all along. The only short stories I have left are **

**Jess & the baseball tryouts**

**Cassidy meets a new friend in LA**

**Megan fails Algebra and her parents threaten to ban designing!**

**Whoever gets this trivia question right get to pick which one I do next and the due date! (Note- the due date has to be longer than two days.) I'm a little obsessed with trivia. :)**

**In Pies & Prejudice, what does Megan buy for Gigi in Sweet Repeats?**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Cassie**


End file.
